Manchester United lining up January bid for Chelsea’s David Luiz – report

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Date: November 17, 2017

Manchester United are weighing up the possibility of launching a January bid for Chelsea defender David Luiz, according to reports.

The defender came to blows with manager Antonio Conte over the Italian’s tactics during his side’s 3-0 defeat to Roma in the Champions League and reacted angrily to being subbed off.

Luiz was subsequently excluded from the squad that took on Man United earlier this month, with Conte noting that his attitude would need to improve before he re-enters the fold.

And according to the Express‘ Tony Banks, Jose Mourinho is closely monitoring the Brazilian’s situation ahead of a potential future bid.

This news comes as something of a surprise: United have plenty of mouths to feed in that position already, and the pair didn’t exactly enjoy the best of relationships at Chelsea, with Mourinho remarking that Luiz would “not be missed” after joining Paris Saint Germain in 2014. The defender responded by labelling the 54-year-old as “not special.”

Then again, perhaps Mourinho, regardless of any past discrepancies, sees something in Luiz worth utilising at Old Trafford. He is, above all, an enormous character, bubbling with raw enthusiasm for the game and a kind of primal spirit on the pitch, alongside a developed sense of defensive discipline that has lacked in recent years.

And having plucked one regular starter from Chelsea’s ranks over the summer, Mourinho may feel tempted to further weaken his rival by taking advantage of what seems like a sticky situation not too dissimilar from what happened with Diego Costa, who will officially sign for Atletico Madrid in January.